The issue of religious conversions sparked off by the case of deceased Everest hero M Moorthy is still very much alive, said the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) today.

Hindraf - a coalition of more than 50 Hindu groups - was responding to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's comments on the matter.

Najib had reportedly said that as far as he was concerned Moorthy's case had been decided by the court and there was no need to question it any longer.

"We are now left with no choice but to express our deepest regret and protest over this," said Hindraf chairperson P Wathya Moorty in a statement.

"Moorthy's case and the issue of his conversion is a subject very much alive and is subject to be challenged in the Palaces of Justice (since an appeal will be filed)," he added.

When contacted, lawyer M Manoharan, who is representing Moorthy's widow S Kaliammal, said an appeal will be filed next week.

'Deliberate move'

Without mincing his words, Wathya said it appeared as if the deputy prime minister was 'ignorant' of the justice system or had deliberately 'chosen to mislead the public' that the high court decision on the matter was final.

"We wonder what are the motives of the deputy prime minister?" he asked.

Terming Najib's attitude as 'subservient', Wathya said the government must learn to understand and appreciate the Federal Constitution.

"By discouraging litigants, they run against the principal of constitutionalism. This is a cheap tactic, carefully designed and engineered in the hope of successfully sweeping the controversy under the carpet," he claimed.

On the same note, Wathya said Hindraf wanted an apology from the deputy premier and the unconditional withdrawal of his statement.

"This is an attitude which must not be encouraged or tolerated. We now wonder if we are living in a democratic country," he added.

Religious tussle

Moorthy, who had become paralysed from the neck down after an accident seven years ago, had died on Dec 20 from injuries sustained after falling of his wheelchair.

A tussle ensued between the 36-year-old former army commando's widow and Islamic religious authorities, who claimed that the deceased had converted and thus must be buried according to Islamic rites.

On the other hand, Kaliammal claimed that her husband was a practising Hindu. The Syariah Court ruled that he was a Muslim while the high court said it had no jurisdiction over the matter.

The case had made headlines and caused concern among non-Muslims, who have called for the law to be amended .

Previously Hindraf had submitted a petition to the King to immediately suspend Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Md Raus Sharif and remove him from the Bench.

It had also flayed Prime Minsiter Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for trying to 'eyewash' the public over this issue.